Bar-Kays - Freakshow On The Dance Floor (1984)

Man, these guys really know how to groove-- with amazing choppy guitar, bumping basslines, and brassy horns -- all wrapped up with some amazing production!

GAP Band - Party Train (1982)

The Gap Band are definitely in full bloom on this track from the early 80s -- hitting that fierce funk mode they do so well, with lots of snapping lines at the bottom of the rhythms! The style is trademark Gap all the way through --- a percolated approach to funk that's tight, but never too slick. Charlie Wilson handles most of the lead vocals, with support from brothers Robert and Ronnie.

Kurtis Blow - Christmas Rapping (1979)

One of the biggest major label hip hop tunes of the late 70s - and easily one of the best tracks from Kurtis Blow! There's a straightforward simplicity here that's totally great - a slight elevation of the Sugar Hill groove towards a more mainstream audience --- but one that never loses the basic back/forth party rhythms of the old school scene.

Sylvers - Come Back Lover (1982)

The extended Sylvers family contributes on the album 'Concept' from 1981, representing songwriting from Nidra, James,Leon and Carmaine Sylvers as well as fine production work from Leon Sylvers III. The 9 tracks featured cross the boundaries of soul and funk with ease. The standout is "Come Back Lover Come back", the musical intro is so beautifully arranged. This album for whatever reason did not gain wide air play went it debuted, personally listening to many of the tracks they hold up to the test of time very well. On a final note, sadly Brother Edmund Sylvers passed away in Richmond,Va on May-31-2004 (age listed,47) after battling cancer, as reported nationally in JET Magazine. Edmund was married with 11 children. Edmund also produced a solo album in 1980, producing the hit "That Burning Love"( ironically he was also the voice of Marlon Jackson in the Jackson 5 cartoon series that aired in the early 70's on network T.V.).... R.I.P Soul Brother.

Yarbrough & Peoples - Don't Waste Your Time (1984)

Calvin Yarbrough and Alisa Peoples first met when they were small children, growing up in Dallas, TX. The singing duo of Yarbrough and Peoples burst onto the music scene with the million-selling single "Don't Stop the Music," a sinewy slab of synth-based R&B/funk that was ahead of its time and had a far-reaching influence in the years following.

Delegation - You Been Doing Me Wrong (1977)

Delegation was a British soul/funk/disco band that has been very popular in Europe but almost unknown in the United States. Delegation found success in countries like France, Germany, and England.
A Jamaican singer named Ricky Bailey was a co-founder of the band in the 1975. Their first single record, "The Promise of Love", became available in the summer of 1976. The second single, "Where is the Love We Used to Know", became a hit in Britain. The members of the band kept changing over the years, but Bailey was a constant, as was Ken Gold who produced several of their albums.

Tyrone Davis - Overdue (1980)

Some of the favorite work ever from Tyrone Davis with a wonderfully warm and mellow vibe! Tyrone hits a sound that's smooth, slinky, and completely sublime!

Strikers - Body Music [Part 1&2 ] (1980)

An excellent 80s groove classic! The Strikers are hardly hiding their theme on this one -- bringing the erotics of the disco into the lyrics full force! The cut builds with a skittish sort of rhythm that has a few post-disco elements -- including some cool moogy synthesizer that shows up even more heavily on the instrumental version!

Teddy Pendergrass - Is It Still Good To You (1980)

Theodore "Teddy" DeReese Pendergrass, Sr. (born 3/26/50) is also known as Teddy P, TP, or Teddy Bear.
Pendergrass's career began when he was a drummer for The Cadillacs, which soon merged with Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes. Melvin invited Pendergrass to become the lead singer after he jumped from the rear of a stage and started singing his heart out.

Fatback - King Tim III (1979)

Contrary to popular belief, Sugarhill Gang’s “Rapper’s Delight” - unleashed upon an unsuspecting world on September 24, 1979 - was not the first commercially successful hip-hop single. “King Tim III (Personality Jock),” a B-side released by a funk band called Fatback (originally The Fatback Band) on August 29, 1979, holds that distinction. An instant hit among both Manhattan radio djs and Bronx party rockers, “King Tim III” is also notable for being the first hip-hop single to chart, appearing on the R&B chart a mere seven days before “Rapper’s Delight” exploded on to the Top 40 chart.

T-Connection - On Fire (1979)

Fast funky grooving from T Connection -- at times sounding a lot more disco than on their first LP, but at others sounding a lot more like a funk act than ever before.

Midnight Express - Danger Zone (1983)

From circa 1983 comes The Midnight Express Show Band. This track is the buzz amongst the network of heavy hitter 80's rare groove collectors at the moment and word has it that the boogie master out of D.C. is in the process of reissuing it via 12" single. For the time being you can purchase the ultra rare original 7" release.